Bottle smashing device



April 1959 F. MADAFFER BOTTLE SMASHING DEVICE F led March 13, 1956 INVENT OR FRANK MADAFFER BYUM (5AM ATTORNEY United States Patent BOTTLE SMASHING DEVICE Frank Madafier, Erie, Pa.

Application March 13, 1956, Serial No. 571,352 1 Claim. (Cl. 241-99) This invention relates to bottle smashing devices and more particularly to a device for breaking empty bottles which have had the beverages removed therefrom.

This application is a continuation in part of application, Serial No. 447,764, filed August 4, 1954, now Patent 2,738,134, and constitutes an improvement thereover.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bottle smashing device which constitutes an improvement over the bottle smashing device disclosed in the said patent application and, more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a bottle smashing device which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and simple and efiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle smashing device wherein the neck of the bottle may be held in the hand of the operator while the smashing mechanism strikes the bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle smashing device wherein the neck of the bottle may be held by an operator without injuring the hand of the operator holding the bottle and permitting complete destruction of the bottle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bottle smashing device which provides for complete destruction of a glass bottle.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the bottle smashing device according to the invention having the panel removed therefrom but showing the front panel thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, a bottle smashing device is shown having a cover 1 and legs 2 which are adjustable by means of bolts 3 which extend through slots 4 in the two segments of the legs 2 to hold the two segments of the legs 2 relatively slidable to each other. Longitudinally extending angle members 5 are supported on the bight portion 6 of the U-shaped bottom of the legs 2. A rear stop member 7 is attached to the angles 5 at 8 and 9 and extends therebetween. The cover 1, legs 2, bight portion 6, angle members 5, and brackets 16 comprise a support.

The cover 1 is supported on top of the legs 2 and has a slot 11 through which a handle 12 extends. The handle 12 is pivoted on an axle 13 which is pivotally supported on brackets 16 which are attached to the cover at 17. Arms 18 have a hammer member 19 attached to their distal ends at 20 and are pivoted on the common pivot 13. A tension spring 22 is attached to the cover 1 at 23 and to a cross member 24 at 25. The cross member 24 is attached to the arms 18 at 26.

A disk arm 28 is fixed to the arms 18 and operates therewith. A pawl 29 is pivoted to the handle 12 at 30 and engages a notch 31 in the disk 28. The pawl 29 has a projection 32 which is adapted to engage a stop 33 to lift the pawl 29 out of the notch 31 when the handle 12 has raised the hammer 19 to the upper position, displaced from its rest position, thereby allowing the spring 22 to swing the hammer 19 down into engagement with a bottle supported on the angles 5 with the back against the stop 7.

A front panel 40 comprising a wall is made of metal and fixed to a disk 42 of flexible material out like a pie with points 43 engaging each other and adapted to have the neck of the bottle extend therethrough and to prevent pieces of shattered bottle from being projected from the container and injuring the operator. The front panel 40 and rear stop 7 constitute spaced means on the support to carry a bottle to be broken.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A bottle smashing device comprising a cover, spaced depending legs attached to the lower side of said cover, spaced bight portions attaching the lower ends of said legs together, spaced longitudinally extending angle members extending between said bight portions, a stop member attached to said longitudinally extending angle members, a front panel attached to two of said legs and spaced from said stop member, an opening in said front panel, a disk of flexible material covering said opening and being out like a pie with the parts engaging each other, said opening adapted to receive a part of a bottle with another part resting on said stop member, a hammer swingably attached to the lower side of said cover, a handle pivotally attached to said cover, means on said handle connecting said handle to said hammer to raise said hammer to a displaced position, means to release said handle from said hammer when said hammer is moved to said displaced position, and means urging said hammer to swing into engagement with a bottle supported on said stop member and in said opening in said panel whereby said bottle will be smashed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,097 Gernhardt Ian. 17, 1905 2,232,382 Graze Feb. 18, 1941 2,466,151 Carmel Apr. 15, 1949 2,645,428 Kandle July 14, 1953 

